Bis-meta-phenylene ureas and their utility as herbicides

ABSTRACT

IN WHICH X REPRESENTS OXYGEN OR SULFUR, R1 REPRESENTS LOWER ALKYL OR LOWER ALKENYL, R2 IS HYDROGEN, R3 REPRESENTS ALKYL, ALENYL, CHLOROACETYL, PHENYL AND CHLORO SUBSTITUTED PHENYL, R4 REPRESENTS HYDROGEN, LOWER ALKYL AND FURFURYL, AND Z REPRESENTS HYDROGEN OR LOWER ALKYL. THE COMPOUNDS OF THIS INVENTION ARE USEFUL AS HERBICIDES.   BIS-META-PHENYLENE UREAS HAVING THE FORMULA   1-(R1-N(-R2)-C(=X)-NH-),4-(R4-N(-R3)-CO-NH-),Z-BENZENE

3,823,188 Patented July 9, 1974 US. Cl. 260-553 C 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Bis-meta-phenylene ureas having the formula:

X R," HNi JN l 0 n, i s

in which X represents oxygen or sulfur, R represents low er alkyl or lower alkenyl, R is hydrogen, R represents alkyl, alkenyl, chloroacetyl, phenyl-and chloro substituted phenyl, R represents hydrogen, lower alkyl and furfuryl, and Z represents hydrogen or lower alkyl. The compounds of this invention are useful as herbicides.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 80,120, filed Oct. 12, 1970, now US. Pat. No. 3,707,556.

This invention relates to certain novel substituted bismeta-phenylene ureas which are useful as herbicides. The compounds of the present invention are new compositions of matter and correspond to the general formula:

in which X represents oxygen or sulfur, R represents lower. alkyl or. lower alkenyl, R is hydrogen, R represents alkyl, alkenyl, chloroacetyl, phenyl and, chloro substituted phenyl, R represents hydrogen, lower alkyl and furfuryl, and Z represents hydrogen or lower alkyl.

.-In the above description, thefollowing preferred embodiments are intended forthevariops substituent groups: lower alkyl preferablyjncludes, unless otherwise provided for, those members whichecontain.from- 1 to 6 carbonatoms, inclusive, in both straight chain and branch chain configurations,- for example methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl,-n-butyl, sec.-butyl, amyl, isoarnyl, n-hexyl, isohexyl, and thelikepth'ej'term lower alkenyl preferably includes those members: of..theygroup containing-fat least one olefinic bond and containing-fromato.fizcarbon atoms, inclusive. X is definedasyoxygenor sultur, preferably oxygen.

1. In one embodiment, X is oxygen, R is lower alkyl, R ;.phenyl,=R, isjhydrogen and Z is hyis hydrogen; "R is drogen:

The compounds of this inventionliave been. found to the.

active herbicides "of a'= general type-.--lhat'is, certain members of the'lelass have been found'to' be herbicidally effctive 'against a wide range of plant species. A method 1 of controlling undesirable ve'getation of the present invennen compgises applying an "herbieida'lly effective-amount? 70 ot" acetone and -1'5".4 g.' of t butyl isocyanate added. The I of the above=described compounds to the i area o'r pl'ant locus where control is desired.

lice

An herbicide is used herein to mean a compound which controls or modifies the growth of plants. By a growth controlling amount is meant an amount of compound which causes a modifying effect upon the growth of plants. Such modifying effects include all deviations from natural development, for example, killing, retardation, defoliation, desiccation, regulation, stunting, tillering, stimulation, dwarfing and the like. By plants it is meant germinant seeds, emerging seedlings, and established vegetation including the roots and above-ground portions.

The compounds of the present invention are prepared by several different methods, depending upon the nature of the starting materials and the products desired. For example, the bis-meta-phenylene ureas are prepared by reacting a suitable aminophenyl urea with a suitable isocyanate or carbamyl chloride. The symmetrical ureas are obtained by employing the same reagents with meta-phenylene diamine. The reactions proceed readily in the liquid phase. The employment of a solvent is also useful, facilitating processing, as well as agitaion of the reactants. Solvents such as acetone are conveniently employed. The re actions are carried out at temperatures that permit operation in the liquid phase. These temperatures are between about room temperature and reflux temperature of the solvent, if a solvent is employed. Generally, the reaction mixture is refluxed at an elevated temperature for several hours. When using a carbamyl chloride as one of the reagents, it is preferable to employ an acid acceptor such as potassium carbonate to facilitate the reaction. After the reaction is completed, the recovery of the crude product is carried out by normal work-up procedures such as crystallization, sublimation or distallation.

The compounds of the present invention and their preparation are more particularly illustrated by the following examples. Following the examples is a table of compounds which are prepared according to the procedures described herein.

EXAMPLE I Preparation of bis-l,1-meta-phenylene-3,3-dimethyl-3- methyl urea 1meta-amino phenyl 3,3-dimethyl urea, 12.5 g., is dissolved in ml. of acetone and 4.4 g. of methyl isocyanate added. The mixture is heated at reflux for 2 hours, cooled and the product crystallizes from solution. Trituration with hot isopropyl alcohol gives 3 g. of product, m.p. 335337 C.

, EXAMPLE II Preparation of bis-1,1'-m-phenylene-3-methyl-3- isopropyl urea l-meta-amino phenyl-3-methyl urea, 11.3 g., is dissolved in 100 ml. of acetone and 6 g. of isopropyl isocyanate. The mixture is heated to reflux for 2 hours, cooled and the product crystallizes from solution. Trituration of the solid product gave 8.7 g., m.p. 300 C.

. EXAMPLE III Preparation of'bis l,1'-m-phenylene-3,3-diethyl- .3'-methyl urea metaamino phenyl-3-methyl urea, 9.9. is dissolved in ,100 ml. of-acetqne and 10 g. of anhydrous powdered 'potassium carbonate and 8.2 g. of diethyl carbamyl chloride .is added. The mixture is stirred at reflux, for 4-6 hours, cooled and poured intoaSOO ml..water. The solid product: is filtered o ff, ,washed withdiluteacid and water and "dried. under-,vacuurnaYield was 15 g.,,of the title EXAMPLE IV Preparation of bis-l,1-m-phenylene-3,3'-t-butylurea Meta phenylene-diamine,7.6 g. is dissolved in-100ml.

"mixture'is refluxed-fet d hours, cooled in" an ice bath and the crystalline product filtered ofi, washed with petroleum 3 ether and dried. Yield is 4 g., of the title compound, m.p. 230233? C. with sublimation.

The following is a table of the compounds which are prepared according to the aforementioned procedures. Compound numbers have been assigned to them and are used for identification throughout the balance of the specification.

gmmmmmmmmmummummmm N o ooooooooooooooooooo 4 1 Decomposition.

HERBICIDAL SCREENING TESTS As previously mentioned, the herein described compounds produced in the above-described manner are phytotoxic compounds which are useful and valuable in controlling various plant species. Compounds of this invention are tested as herbicides in the following manner.

Pre-emergence herbicide test.0n the day preceding treatment, seeds of seven different weed species are planted in individual rows using one species per row across the width of the flat. The seeds used are hairy crabgrass (Digitaris sangu'inalis (L.) Scop.), yellow foxtail (Setdria glauca (L.) Beauv.), watergrass (Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv), California red oat (Avena sativa (L.)), redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus (L.) Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L. Coss.) and curly dock (Rumex crispus (L.)). Ample seeds are planted to give about to seedlings per row, after emergence, depending on the size of the plants."The flats are watered after planting. The spraying solution is prepared bydissolving 50mg.-of the test compound in 3 ml. of a solventQsuch-as acetone, containing 1% Tween 20 (polyoxyethylene'sorbitan 80 gallons ofsolution per acre. Ariatorpizerls used to spray the solution onto the soil" surface. The flatsare' placed in a greenhouse at 80 F; and watered regularly. Two weeks later the degreeof weed controlis determined by comparing the amount of germination and growth of each weed in the treated flats with weeds in several un- An activity index is used to represent, the total activity on all seven weed species. It is thesu rn of the number of plus marks, so that an activity index of 21 represents complete control of all seven Weeds. The results of this test are reported in .I 1 1 '5:

Post-emergence herbicide; test. ''"Seeds "of five "weed species, including hairy"crabgrass, watergrass, Californiared oats, Indian mustard, and curly dock and onecrop,'t. pinto beans (phwseolus vu'lgizrisy,'are"plantedinllats asdescribed above forpre-emergence""screening.The flats are placed in the greenhouse at 72-85 and 'water'ed daily with a sprinkler. AboutlO to 14'days afternplanting," when the primary leaves "of "the bean plant-are"almost fully expanded and the fir'sttrifoliate leaves are just starting to form, the plants are sprayed.-The spray-isprepared by' weighting out 50mg. of the test' compound, dissolving it in 5 ml. of 'acetone containng" 1%"TWeen-20 (poly.--; oxyethylene sorbitan monolaurateyand then addingzS ml. of water. The solution'isspr-ayed on'the foliage using ment. Water is applied to the soil by means of a slow stream from a watering hose taking care not to wet the foliage.

Injury rates are recorded 14 days after treatment. The rating system is the same as described above for the preemersence test Where a are used for the different rates of injury and control. The injury symptoms are also recorded. The maximum activity index for complete control of all the species in the post-emergence screening test is 18 which represents the sum of the plus marks obtained with the six plant species used in the test. The herbicide activity index is shown in Table H.

TABLE II.HE BBICIDAL ACTIVITY SCREENING RESULTS l 21=70-100% control of all seven plant species tested pro-emergence; 18=70100% control of all six plant species tested post-emergence.

The compounds of the present invention are used as pre-emergence or post-emergence herbicides and are applied in a variety of ways at various concentrations. In practice, the compounds are formulated with an inert carrier, utilizing methods well known to those skilled in the art, thereby making them suitable for applicaton as dusts, sprays, or drenches and the like, in the form and manner required. The mixtures can be dispersed in water with the aid of a wetting agent or they can be employed in organic liquid compositions, oil and water, water in oil emulsions with or without the addtion of wetting, dispersing or emulsifying agents. An herbicidally effective amount depends upon the nature of the seeds or plants to be controlled and the rate of application varies from 1 to approximately 50 pounds per acre.

The phytotoxic compositions of this invention employing an herbicidally effective amount of the compound described herein are applied to the plants in the conventional manner. Thus, the dust and liquid compositions can be applied to the plant by the use of power-dusters, boom and hand sprayers and spray-dusters. The compositions can also be applied from airplanes as a dust or a spray because they are effective in very low dosages. In order to modify or control growth of germinating seeds or emerging seedlings, as a typical example, the dust and liquid compositions are applied to the soil according to conventional methods and are distributed in the soil to a depth of at least 16 inch below the soil surface. It is not necessary that the phytotoxic compositions be admixed with the soil particles and these compositions can be applied merely by spraying or sprinkling the surface of the soil. The phytotoxic compositions of this invention can also be applied by addition to irrigation water supplied to the field to be treated. This method of application permits the penetration of the compositions into the soil as the water is absorbed therein. Dust compositions, granular compositions or liquid formulations applied to the surface of the soil can be distributed below the surface of the s0 1l by conventional means such as discing, dragging or lIllXll'lg operations.

The phytotoxic compositions of this invention can also contain other additaments, for example, fertilizers, pesticides and the like, used as adjuvant or in combination with any of the above-described adjuvants. Other phytotoxic compounds useful in combination with the above-described compounds include, for example, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acids, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2-methyl- 4cl 1lorophenoxyacetic acid and the salts, esters and amides thereof; triazine derivatives, such as 2,4-bis(3- methoxypropylamino)-6-methyl-thio-S-triazine; 2-chloro- 4-ethylamino 6 isopropylamino-S-triazine, and Z-ethylammo-4-1sopropylamino 6 methylmercapto-S-triazine, urea derivatives, such as 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-l,l-dimethyl urea and 3-(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea and acetamides such as N,N-diallyl-a-chloroacetamide, N- (a-chloroacetyl)hexamethylene imine, and N,N-diethyl-ubromacctamide, and the like; benzoic acids such as 3- amino-2,5-dichlorobenzoic; and thiocarbamates, such as S- propyldipropylthiocarbamate; S ethyl-dipropylthiocarbamate, S-ethylcyclohexyl-ethyl-thiocarbamate, S ethyl hexahydro-lg-azepine-l-carbothioate and the like. Fertilizers useful in combination with the active ingredients include, for example, ammonium nitrate, urea and superphosphate. Othenuseful additaments include materials in which plant organisms take root and grow, such as compost, manure, humes, sand and the like.

The concentration of a compound of the present invent1on, constituting an efi'ective amount in the best mode of administration in the utility disclosed, is readily determinable by those skilled in the art.

Various changes and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described herein and will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains. It is accordingly intended that the present invention shall only be limited by the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A compound having the formula East-Men.

in which R represents lower alkyl.

2. A compound according to Claim 1 in which R, is methyl.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,386,955 6/1968 Nawakowski et al.

260-553 A X 3,119,865 1/1964 Wearley et al. 260-553 A X 3,184,301 5/1965 Martin et a1 260-553 A X LEON ZITVER, Primary Examiner M. W. GLYNN, Assistant Examiner 

